Squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis.

Comparisons were made between 15 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis and 27 cases of transitional cell carcinoma. The frequencies of calculosis and infection of the urinary tract were higher in the squamous cell group. These patients were somewhat older than the patients with transitional cell carcinoma and had a much poorer prognosis. Only five of them survived for a year and only one was still alive after five years. Squamous cell carcinoma generally occurred as a single tumour. The urothelial carcinomas showed the recognized tendency to multiplicity. Cytologic examination of the urine may be helpful in establishing the diagnosis. Monitoring of patients with renal pelvic calculi should include regular cytologic examination of the urine, in the hope that squamous cell tumours of the urinary tract will be detected at an early stage.